


The Aligned Stars

by ArashiGoddess



Series: Hit List: Reincarnated Souls [1]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe, Creation of the female dorm at Weston, F/M, Finding out the secret to Reincarnation, Humor, Reincarnation, Romance, Undercover as a Guy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 11:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21848626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArashiGoddess/pseuds/ArashiGoddess
Summary: In Her Majesty's letter, she wanted me to make sure that Derrick Arden was kept in check inside Weston College. I never knew that it would create all sorts of things to arise such as the sudden creation of the female dorm and the nasty reveal that Derrick has been murdered by the four I decided to trust. Now, add the fact that my childhood friends had been looking into the secret of reincarnation and that is just way too much to handle for a truthful girl wanting to be a doctor.
Relationships: Gregory Violet/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Hit List: Reincarnated Souls [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1574113
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. The Letter of Recommendation

How many stories have started with the line: ‘It was just like any other day’? With the lack of creativity with the authoress of _this_ particular story, that was how the opening was going to be and there would be nothing that I could do about it. I was just a character and she held the reigns to my fate.

So, as cliché as it may seem, but… _it was just like any other day._

I was out and about on my journey to the seaside when two men clad in white stopped me from going aboard a small boat to take me to the coral reefs. One of them seemed young while the other was a little older than I was, looking anywhere but in my direction. I dismissed the fellow that was helping me aboard and stepped back down into the sand to talk to them. I was curious as to who they were, as suspicious as they looked on this hot and sunny day with their coats and gloves.

“May I help you?” I had asked and the older of the two coughed awkwardly into his hand.

“Yes, we deliver a message.”

“A message.” I echoed, watching as the smaller one now took his turn to speak.

“It was a pain too. Do you know how long it took to find you?” I raised a delicate brow and he continued without a pause. “Why is the eldest daughter of the Midford travelling around anyway instead of being married off into other families. Isn’t that supposed to be your duty?”

I could tell that he was the mouthy one of the two. Nonetheless, I was a slight bit amused. It was not every day that I get to greet someone who spoke so straightforwardly as this kid had done. And then something clicked. All of a sudden, they seemed familiar. Combing through my memories, I always see them beside Elizabeth.

“Have we met before?” I had asked, just to make sure. And I was right as their faces shifted slightly at my inquiry. Though they did not make any move to explain. “I will take that as my yes, then.”

The older of the two stepped closer and showed a pristine white envelope with the familiar crest of the royalty. I accepted it a bit cautiously as the weight of their words about the Queen wanting to talk hit me as I held the letter. Well, there wouldn’t be any harm in reading it, now would it. Carefully opening it with the accompanying letter opener, I slid the paper out and read it.

* * *

_“My dearest Elliot,_

_It has been a while, my friend. You were but a child when I last saw you and now I hear about these adventures you were having around our country. Truly, I am happy to know that you enjoy the local views as much as I did growing up._

_I still remember when we first met. You were but a mere little darling who often scowled but smiled widely at the sight of my garden, especially the violets I so loved. It still brings a smile to my face whenever I remember how you don’t even know who I am, yet you chatted happily about the flowers. In my opinion, you were a Violet Flower come to life yourself._

_You also told me about your dream of entering a prestigious school in your lifetime to become a doctor. If that is still the case, then would you mind if I have you admitted into Weston Academy? There is just something about the academy that has me worried, you see. My cousin’s son, Derrick Arden, has been attending the school for quite some time and he was a rowdy child growing up. I would just like to hear about him if that is possible, my dear. Just to ease Duke Clemens and my concerns._

_In exchange for the trouble that I am causing, you are to be specially admitted to Weston College to further your knowledge about medicine. I look forward to your answer, my sweet child._

_Wishing you well,_

_Queen Alexandrina Victoria”_

* * *

I closed the letter thoughtfully. It seems that the queen and I _had_ met but I just had not remembered. The garden with the Violet flowers were ringing bells but the bells weren’t tolling loud enough. You would think that someone in my case would remember past events quite well.

Her proposal was also something I would want to accept. Weston College is the same school that Edward is currently enrolled in and I would often hear about it. There were theses there that were left by the now alumnus doctors and I want to get my hands on those. I would accept in a heartbeat but there’s the problem of informing my parents about this. If I am to move again, and this time so close to home, they are to hear about it. That was our deal and I don’t like breaking deals.

“I think… I would have to give this some thought.” I handed back the letter to the taller of the white-clad men and was stopped by the other.

“Hold on. Don’t you think that it’s rude to keep her Highness waiting? Just how shameless are you?”

Unamused at his outburst, I kept my mouth shut. The person who got me to talk again was the older of the two and he calmly told me, “It’s disrespectful to Queen Victoria. An immediate answer would be preferred, Lady Elliot.”

“There’s no need to worry,” I told them, smiling slightly. “My answer is still yes. _I have no choice._ I just need to inform the Marquess and Marchioness Midfords about this. I promised, after all.”

They still looked unsure but I didn’t hear anything from them anymore. I took that as my cue to dismiss myself and I curtsied with my short dress.

“Well then. I look forward to seeing you both again.”

Having lost the interest to continue to my next destination for that day, I turned on my heel to prepare for my early visit back home.

* * *

The manor looked much more solemn now that I was back. Now, it wasn’t dirty. Quite the opposite actually. It was well-kept; mirrors polished, gardens well cared for, steps wiped clean, fountain water that was clear as day. It looked the same way as it always did whenever I come to visit. I grew up in this place, but recently and slowly, it was starting to have that air of loneliness to it. It must be because Edward and I were barely home.

He can only come back during summers every year or if he got permission to do so whenever there’s a special occasion. Meanwhile, I was the one who was out of the manor a lot because of my travels but my visits were often and long. Now, it appears that I would be joining my brother with the scarce visits.

The usual faces of the maids I had come to see every moment that I was back, greeted me as I got out of the carriage. They didn’t seem fazed nor surprised at my sudden coming home.

“Is mother and father present?”

One maid answered as the others took care of my luggage and the stagecoach drove away. “Yes, milady. They are in the sitting room having tea.”

I smiled slightly, straightening my back as I walked forward and into my home for years. “Wonderful.”

Inside, it was much grimmer than I had thought.

* * *

I had barely gotten the words out of my mouth and they were already horrified at the thought. It was enough for father to spit out his tea and make a mess even, and he isn’t usually that careless. It seems that I was the only one who was unbothered by the Queen’s proposal.

“Elliot, how vulgar of an idea that is. You, in a sea of _men?”_ Mother’s face twisted into displeasure at the thought. “Surely, you jest, my child.” She always was the one who disapproved of anything unsightly and inelegant. The thought of her oldest daughter being surrounded by the opposite gender when I was still unmarried was unimaginable.

I set down my cup. “I jest when appropriate, Mother.”

“Except that one time during your brother’s _birthd-”_

“When it was _appropriate,_ Father.”

The familiar look of disapproval came across her face when she had remembered the happenings from that time. Though that filled her mind for a moment before he was back to worrying. She let out a barely audible sigh. “Even so, the Queen is asking too much for this one. I do not consent.”

_Ah, well, I already expected that kind of answer from her._

“And that enrollment for Weston is too much to get in exchange for a favour.” My eyes gazed into her’s unwavering, green to silvery-blue. I had made my choice once I was done reading that letter and I only came to inform them, not ask for their consent. To get such an admission to a prestigious school like that, it would be foolish to decline. Especially when it had come from the Queen herself. I had been looking for a chance like this for a long time, I was not about to change my decision. “Mother. I would be leaving whether you approve or not. This was what I needed for my studies in medicine. I _need_ to go.”

The tension stayed in the air for a while but the longer it went on, the more my stubborn mother gave in to her more stubborn daughter.

“Alright, but you are not getting off easy.” She looked away in irritation, her fan already unfolded and covering the scowl in her face. “We are to discuss the conditions in which you are to fulfill _after_ this mess in Weston for another time, _understood?”_

Smiling way too much that was appropriate for the situation, I answered, “Yes, mother. Whatever it is that you wish.”

“I will remember that.” She grumbled to herself as father now took his turn to talk to me. He exchanged his seat from beside mother to my side, taking in my hand in both of his.

“My dear El, are you sure about this? As your father, I cannot help but worry.”

He was right. As he gazed in my eyes, and I to his, I could see the concern that he had in them. There was a multitude of things that he could be worrying about, and I was sure that one of them was my well-being but— “I can handle myself, Father. I had not been travelling on my own for nothing if I could not even take care of myself.”

Out of the two of my parents in this life, my father was less stubborn than my mother. But he was a much more affectionate individual than the latter. He always wore his heart on his sleeves, and for as long as I could remember, there was not a time in which I had not been told that he loves me. Not to say that my mother was lacking, she loves all three of us in her way. Strict and harsh as she may seem but we all knew that she only wanted the best for us. Being strict and harsh is her way of taking care of us, and to reassure herself that we would be fine out there.

But I had always been fonder of the Marquess. And so I had always been weak to him.

“I believe that you can take care of yourself, but just to ease my heart and your mother’s, take your rapier with you.”

“Father, I doubt I would be allowed to take one with me. Edward was barely able to take his foil with him to practice his swordsmanship.”

_Were my eyes deceiving me or were my father’s eyes looked close to tears?_

Felling my own heart being clenched inside my chest, I let out a small sigh of resignation. I had little hope that I would even manage to take it inside the college but just to ease their worrying, I would have to try at least. “Alright. I would do my best to take it with me but no promises.” I was already wrapped in a tight hug just after I’ve uttered that first word.

“Oh, my girl. You are going to do great in Weston, I’m sure of it!” Really, father is way too emotional at times. Even so, a smile was in my face and I hugged back. While doing so, I felt another pair of arms wrap around me. Familiar silvery blonde entered the corners of my vision, as well as the familiar perfume that penetrated my nose.

“Take care of yourself. We would not be there, after all.” Mother uttered in almost a whisper, her hug tightening slightly for a moment.

_See, she can be affectionate too._

“I will. I promise.”

We stayed hugging for a while, borderline uncomfortable (though that was just me, it seems), before the loud bang of the door opening suddenly made us jump away from each other.

_“Onee-chan!”_

_Have I mentioned that I had a little sister too or was that not necessary?_

Smiling widely, I opened my arms in response and a bundle of blonde came barreling in my arms. Elizabeth and I exchange a brief tight hug before she let go. “Hello, muffin. How was your day?” I asked, just as mother had berated her for her unladylike way of just barging in. She looked a slightly bit embarrassed and apologized before she answered me.

“Amazing, now that you’re here!” She gave one of those really cute smiles she liked doing. She was truly a pure angel. You would not have guessed that such a tiny girl as her would be much stronger than most adults. Mother and father are proud in their ways and I am too.

“Would you mind if I join you for tea then?” She nodded happily and I turned to our parents to excuse ourselves. “Well then, we have teas and cakes waiting for us.” I curtsied, and Elizabeth did the same then we were on our way to the gardens; our favorite place to spend time on.

* * *

We spent most of the time just catching up with the recent happenings. I had been away for about a fortnight and a lot had happened. She had a fun day spending time in the Phantomhive Manor just a few days back. She got to have a dance with him during one of his lessons. _“It was a night to remember,”_ she says, dreamily drawing circles in the table with her finger as she did.

Meanwhile, I had briefly visited Stonehenge in Salisbury just earlier before I headed to the nearby White Bird Lake. I was contested there by the two butlers in white so that was all I had to tell but Elizabeth still listened attentively. Ooh’d and Aah’d at some points. She’s just such a sweetheart. Unfortunately, when I asked her whether she knew the two that I was describing, she shook her head no at me.

I had thought that her being beside the two in my earlier memories meant that she knew them but that was not the case. If I ever see those men in white again, I would ask them about Elizabeth in turn.

Speaking of the Phantomhive Manor though, there’s something that I wanted to ask.

I turned to my sister who was picking at the strawberry atop her cake, “Hey, munchkin, is Aunt Celestia home when you visited?” At my inquiry, she tilted her head to the side, soft blonde locks swaying as she did so.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t seen her.”

“Oh… I see.” I took a sip my tea, thoughtful.

I had sent quite a lot of letters to the Phantomhives for the past fortnight but I never received one back from Celestia. The ones I did get were from Ciel who told me that he had no news as to where our aunt had been. All he knows is that a letter had come from the Queen and she had hurried to leave after reading it, muttering something about a lead. Then they never heard from her again.

She was always one to leave suddenly and impulsively whenever it concerned her and Regina’s investigation but… unless it was of utmost importance, she usually wouldn’t be so tight-lipped about it.

I would talk to Regina just to make sure that the other was okay but even in our correspondence, she specified that she had no clue as well. Or maybe it really was important that they couldn’t risk spreading it through letters?

_I may need to visit Regina but I doubt I would have enough time with all the preparing I needed to do for Weston._

“Onee-chan, is something in your mind?”

Elizabeth’s voice broke me out of my thoughts and I hastily put on a reassuring smile. “Why, just something about Aunt Celestia bothering me. Don’t mind me.” She looked unconvinced still so I changed the subject into something more interesting. “So, what’s this I’ve been hearing about you and Ciel? About him being your knight and shining armour, hm?”

The red cheeks, burning bright even underneath the blush she had put on, was clear as day and I let my smile slip into something more teasing. She didn’t like me teasing but what can she do? I loved doing it, especially if it meant I would be able to steer her away from talking about what bothers me.

And as she liked talking about her fiancée, she all too happily let herself get carried away.

* * *

I’ve sent a letter back to Queen Victoria, using the Midford Family’s crest on the envelop so that it would reach the destination. There was no need to make her wait, after all, I’ve got my answer ready and she just needed to hear about it.

Still, I had no clue as to how she was going to enter me in such a school that was only for the gentlemen of England. Last I checked, I was anything _but_ a gentleman. Then again, this is the _queen_ we are talking about here so I was certain that she had something in her sleeve. I could only hope that whatever it was, it wouldn’t affect the up and coming school life of mine. I was certain I didn’t want to give off the wrong impression after all.

That is until I received the letter back. Accompanied by the same men clad in white. Now I’m starting to believe that letters from the queen and these two are just naturally bonded together.

“I’m assuming the queen has a letter for me again?” I leaned out of the window to look at the two who happens to be standing outside said window. “I never got your names.”

The taller of the two stepped closer and handed me a box, the letter sitting primly above said box. “We are the queen’s butlers. _Charles Phipps,_ Lady Elliot.”

“And I’m Charles Grey.” The other introduced himself as I accepted the box. “You kept the Queen waiting by the way.”

I gave him a look. “I apologize that I do not have my own Double Charles to send my letters for me.”

Phipps looked surprised. “Oh, so you’ve heard of us.”

“She’s just jesting,” Grey told him, scowling.

Ignoring him, I inquired about the peculiar box. “A present from the queen? I don’t think that was specified in our correspondence.”

“The queen was feeling very generous. I suppose you would want to look.”

“Indeed, I do,” I muttered, eyeing the letter and opening the box.

Inside was what appeared to be a set of clothing, mostly black with a single Violet flower resting atop of them. I held the flower in one hand while I took out the contents of the box and I was surprised at what I was seeing. It was a black tailcoat, waistcoat, and pants with a white shirt. It was a _gentleman’s_ clothing; very much the opposite of what I was allowed to wear in this day and age.

Sensing my confusion, Grey smiled in a way that was conniving as he leaned against the window ledge. “Interesting, isn’t it? A woman, dressed in a man’s clothing. The queen is very much enjoying herself while writing that letter.”

“Inappropriate as it was…” Phipps stepped closer as well, his face unchanging from this neutral look he always had on. “The queen thought it’ll make things easier for you.”

_So she thought to enroll me as a man and continue as if nothing was wrong?_

As if they had read my thoughts, the two shared knowing, amused smiles before they bowed in sync.

“Excuse us.”

And just like they were gone. I immediately opened the envelop and read the letter inside.

* * *

_“My sweet child Elliot,_

_I am glad that you have taken the time to consider my request. I know that I am asking for too much and as such, let me help in any way that I could. It was the least I could do now that you have eased my troubled mind._

_So my dear, please accept this clothing. They are unconventional for a young woman like you, but this would help you inside Weston. They are very strict and religious when it came to their students and their traditions strictly enforced upon the student body. I ask that, for now, you keep this secret to yourself or else you won’t be allowed to stay long in Weston._

_I look forward to results, my future doctor, Elliot._

_Wishing you well once more,_

_Queen Alexandrina Victoria”_

* * *

Thank the heavens for the conveniently placed chair from behind me or else there wouldn’t have been anything that would catch my fall.

The letter was short and concise. Straight to the point even. But there was a lot to take in from it. I already guessed that the queen would be pulling some sort of string for me to get in but I didn’t know that the strings she was pulling were mine. I mean, _trousers?_ For a lady like _me?_ Mother would have a grand time berating me for this. Especially Edward once we see each other on the school’s holy grounds. Though… in a way, this whole affair could be amusing.

In this time, a stunt like this being pulled off would be scandalous.

Before I knew it, what stressed me out for a moment became an entertaining thought I would remember for the next days to come.

* * *

For my final day at the Midford Manor, and my home for my whole life, I had one final guest visit me before I left for Weston.

I had worn the uniform (it fit me oddly well) and had bound my chest just to make things more interesting. That and I’m… well-endowed. I doubt there would be anyone in that school that would believe that I was a young man myself when I’m a top-heavy individual. And I wasn’t one to lie. It was just something I do not do. If I were to successfully stay in Weston, I would have to let my body lie for me. Or else all this effort that the queen had gone through for me would be all for nothing.

I couldn’t possibly let down the _queen,_ now could I?

That being said, I wanted to make sure that I had something else to change with if there comes a need for it. So I was ordering the maids to make sure that all were in their proper places in my things before I left when said visitor had come.

Fortunately, I had been outside at the time with the maids so when I saw that familiar red carriage from afar, I had some time to get myself together and snap out of the surprise I had been in. The carriage stopped a few metres behind the one I was going to ride to Weston and out comes a familiar young woman in red; her scarlet braided hair swaying in the wind. She was accompanied out by a bespectacled butler with brown hair tied at the back with a ribbon and olive-green eyes.

“Regina.” I greeted. “Why the sudden visit?”

She coughed behind her white-gloved hand, smiling slightly at the butler behind her before she answered me. “Well, I heard that you are with your family. I wanted to see you before you leave again and…” She pointedly looked at my chest, a hand covering her lips. “Have you… _shrunk,_ by any chance?”

“No.”

“Oh. Well, what a disappointing thing to hear.” She let out a scoff before her gaze on me turned serious. “But I was not jesting. I wanted to see you before you leave.” I gestured for the servants to leave us be so that we could talk. Her butler though didn’t do the same and I looked at Regina inquiringly. “It’s fine, Elliot. He knows.”

All of a sudden, that same meek-looking butler changed his aura. He chuckled, revealing rows of pointed teeth, his hair changing from brown to red in seconds. _“Darling,_ there’s nothing to worry about.”

Once again, this turn of events surprised me. “A reaper? Regina, how on earth did you manage to befriend one?”

“Oh you know, using mother.” She shrugged, as said reaper turned back into being a butler. In which they then shared a wink.

After the initial shock wore off, I let out a sigh. I should’ve known that someone like her would someday befriend people from different worlds. It doesn’t matter that they’re supposed to be an enemy of ours. It’s all fair game. “I take it you actually know where Celestia is currently?”

She nodded her head and what came out of her mouth was probably the least surprising of all the things I’ve come to know these past few days. “She’s in Germany.”

“Oh, Germany. What a lovely time for a vacation.” I frowned. “Especially with the rising tension between _Britain and Germany.”_

She rolled her eyes at me before holding out her hand to her butler. He placed a folded piece of paper atop her gloved hand and she showed the front of it to me, a familiar name with neat handwriting. “Helena Oakley has some interesting tales to tell from the Land of Poets and Thinkers.”

“I suppose it was hard to send a letter to someone who is constantly moving around,” I muttered to myself.

It made sense that she would only be sharing with Regina. Out of the two of us, Regina had never once left her own home for more than a week at a time. She was fond of their rose garden and so spends a lot of her time there. If Celestia sends her a letter, she always receives it. Unlike me who only gets her letters once I’m home and very rarely do I even hear from Helena Oakley.

Shaking my head, I asked, “What was her business there?”

The other frowned to herself, hesitating on speaking. “…I’m not sure. All she detailed on was that she was spending time with a ‘family friend’ and that she encountered someone interesting as of late; a witch from an isolated village called Wolfsschlucht.”

“A witch? Now that’s just asking for a hunt.” I told her frowning myself. Though her grim expression remained.

“That may be true but she resembled someone concerning.” She opened the letter in her hands pulled out a photo from in-between. She paused when her eyes had landed on it before she flipped it around and showed it to me. Indeed, it was of someone familiar. The hair colour was different but the eyes were the same as they always had been.

_My emerald green eyes._

I took the photo from her hands to look at it more closely. The resemblance _was_ uncanny. It was a weird feeling seeing yourself and not at the same time. This girl in the picture was a lot younger than I was, maybe even younger than Ciel, but even so, I could see that it was _me._ “This is… a big breakthrough with your research, isn’t it? An another _me.”_

Her butler spoke up, showing me his rows of sharp teeth as he grinned. “Well, aren’t you one step closer to finding out the truth about yourselves.”

“Indeed,” Regina gently took the picture from my hands and placed it back into the folds of the letter. “But this barely explains anything. Helena did not mention that the girl recognized her in any way. And if she was you in a different body, then she would’ve at least shown any indication that they’ve met before. But she wrote nothing of the sort.”

I went quiet. Well, there was that. Maybe it just meant that people do exist out there that shared the same face with others.

“Don’t mind it.” Regina’s voice brought me back from my thoughts. When I looked up, she was already walking away. The last thing I heard from her before she was escorted in her carriage was, “I’ll head to Germany soon myself. And I’ll see for myself what Helena meant in her letter.”

I watched the carriage disappear from view, unmoving from my spot and thoughtful.

* * *

Later that morning, I found myself standing in front of the black gates of Weston College. The Chapel stood imposing ahead of me, as did the men that guarded the gates.

_This was it. Weston. I’m finally here._

Shaking my head slightly to get rid of any lingering thoughts from my earlier conversation, I put on a polite smile and took my first step inside the campus. My dream of becoming a doctor seemed so near now, and I was all too eager to start my first day here. _Now then…_

I looked around at the young men walking from one place to another and picked a random direction to go to.

_“Edward seems like he would be this way.”_

And so I went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first story out of the three that I was planning. I think I would want to write them consecutively but for right now, I'm having way too much fun with this one.
> 
> As an added note, Weston College is based on a real school in England named Eton College. Next chapter, I would be using terms that they use there to it might be a little confusing. I'll try to explain them as much as I could in the notes so hopefully, that'll help. And also, I'm not an expert and I don't live in England so forgive me if I do happen to get something wrong.


	2. Weston College and the Four Dorms

Ever since that morning, Edward had been restless. Well, much more restless than before. See the truth is, ever since he received that letter from his sister, he never had the chance to sleep peacefully nor focus on anything.

He was worried out of his mind; made worse by the fact that all the worst-case scenarios in his head were not helping. How would you even believe a letter like that if it were sent to you? His sister never told lies yet she loved to jest whenever she could. So don’t blame him if he had thought that her _enrolling in Weston College_ was but a mere joke.

…for a whole thirty minutes, that is.

Oh, how he just wanted to rip his hair out. He had been in denial for the first day but when he had heard from Herman himself that they were to expect a new student coming in the next three days, he nearly lost it. It _is_ his sister.

When the day of her fated arrival had come, Edward made sure to do his duties as a fag to his Green Lion dorm prefect as fast as he could. He wanted to be the first person to greet his sister (and maybe even convince her to turn back before it’s too late) but Herman had specifically ordered him to wait for him before leaving the dorm. It was something about helping him prepare for the welcome ceremony but his mind was elsewhere so all he knew was to wait.

So when he was found outside by Herman, his rather fast and cement-denting pacing earned him a raised brow.

“Edward, you’re pacing. That is unlike you.” Said fag jumped a few inches in the air at the sound of his voice. He turned to him in a rather stiff manner, his face the very epitome of nervousness. “What’s wrong?”

“I-I… uhh... Herman, you see—” He cut himself off so suddenly that the prefect was even more concerned now. He made to step down from the dorm entrance’s stairs when the other all of a sudden made a mad dash towards the gate.

“Wait! Edward!”

But Edward didn’t acknowledge him. Or rather, he hadn’t heard him call out to him. All he was concerned about was that familiar person that entered through their dorm gates and is currently calling out to him with a smile.

“Edward! My dear brother! How lovely to see you! And on the first direction I picked too, how luck—” She stopped speaking when she was surprised by Edward suddenly carrying her out of there during his sprint towards her. “W-W-Wait, Edward!”

Believe me when I say that Edward stopped at nothing. Even at the inquisitive stares of his fellow students following the two of them. He wanted to get out of there with her and so that was what he did.

* * *

“Edward, stop sprinting you’re going to hurt yourse— _ah!_ ”

I was suddenly brought down to my feet that I had to steady myself for a second there or else I would’ve fallen on my bum. While I was doing that, my brother took that chance to bring his breathing back to normal. Once steady, I looked around and saw that we were somewhere beside the school’s large building; one wall on one side and the building on the other.

“Weston is good with their architecture,” I commented offhandedly, making Edward whip his head up towards me.

“What are you doing here, onee-sama!?” He burst out like a volcano. Looking like one too may I add.

Letting a mischievous grin creep up my face, I gestured to the men’s wear that I had on with grandeur, almost tempted into doing a small twirl. “Why, I’m studying here now, of course!” I then paused, blinking, before I asked in a low voice. “You didn’t get my letter, did you?”

“Na—! Of course, I did!” Edward furiously looked around his pocket before he retrieved a slightly crumpled paper. Opening it reveals a familiar set of handwriting and a scribbled-up mess of a signature at the bottom right. My letter. “What did you even mean by ‘I cannot wait to get used to this’!?”

“Oh, I was referring to wearing Weston’s uniform. There’s only so much chance I have in this life for me to be allowed to wear trousers, so I was relieved to be rid of all those petticoats.” At my explanation, he realized what I was gesturing at earlier. One look at my legs and his face immediately flared up from embarrassment this time.

“W-W-Wha—” His mouth opened and closed, unable to get the words out before he yelled at me. _“What are you wearing!? Know some shame!”_

I looked up at his red face with a small coy smile. “Why? I’m afraid it’s the queen’s orders.” At my words, he calmed down for a moment as confusion crossed his features.

“You mean the queen had you…” He happened to glance at my legs again before he closed his eyes in irritation, red-faced once more as he took off his tailcoat and handed it to me. “In any case, cover your legs. It’s still inappropriate, onee-sama. You’re still an unmarried woman and there are lots of young men here! Who knows what might happen to you?”

My smile turning soft at the edges, I brought up a hand to caress his cheek. “I will be alright, Edward. I am not just your big sister that needed to be cared for all the time.” There was a still a frown marring his face, but nonetheless, his eyes shone in understanding. I appreciate his concern, but he knows that I am right. I can handle myself.

Edward brought up his other hand to hold my hand in his cheek. “If anything happens, the Green Lions dorm will always welcome you.”

_Even so, he’s still protective. But there is nothing I can do to change that._ I thought to myself, remembering the times he used to always stand in front of me whenever he thought that I was in trouble. He was so small back then, but he stood like he carried the weight of my problems all on his own. And that there was always nothing to be worried about. Mother and father raised him well. He’ll be an excellent knight in the future.

Now, here he was. Standing in front of me and stood taller than I was. Still the same worrywart as ever.

_You have grown so much since then._

“Thank you. _Always.”_

We then shared soft and tender smiles before it was cut short by an unfamiliar voice.

_“Midford!”_

Simultaneously, both Edward and I looked up and answered, “Yes?”

The person from behind the window a level above us looked surprised when the two of us answered him. He had long silver-blonde hair tied in a low ponytail with a small ribbon and swept over his right shoulder. He regarded us two incredulously.

“Oh, I… Is Herman not with you?”

My brother, realizing what had happened, immediately pushed me behind him in an attempt to hide me from view. Even though I was sure that there was no need for such an obvious display of chivalry.

“R-Redmond! I uhh… I may or may not have left Greenhill in the dust… back there…” This Redmond fellow looked back and forth between us two siblings, making Edward cough in his hand awkwardly and start pushing me away. Especially when he found me waving at the young man and the young man back to me, although confusedly. _“Well!_ I should get back to Greenhill. He must be looking for me. Good day, Redmond!”

He leaned over the window, watching us go as he bid farewell back. “G-Good day, Midford!”

Instantly, I responded, “Good day, good sir!”

_“Onee-sama!”_ Edward furiously whispered at me and I looked back at him confounded.

“What? I was just saying farewell.” I whispered back and he looked like he nearly wanted to facepalm.

* * *

Edward left me in some secluded area near the school gates. After making sure that there was nobody around to see me, he told me to walk carefully around the school and hide if I happen to see anyone. He also told me that I should stay put in whichever room I was given but in all honesty, as I waved at him goodbye, I didn’t want to follow his caution.

First of all, my disguise is perfect. I’ve weaved through throngs of people while looking for him and we’ve even run past some right after. Aside from the occasional stares that the two of us got, I doubt there was anyone who actually knows about my secret identity. And second of all, he can’t expect me to sit still. I’ve got to meet the headmaster for this morning, familiarize myself with the dorm I was going to be given to right after, and make sure that there won’t be any incidents concerning my sense of direction and Weston’s large campus. God only knows how much time I’ve wasted being lost for this entire life. I would like to not get lost, _thank you very much._

Then again, even as I was going to the main building where the headmaster’s office was, finding said office took a bit of effort. Well, _quite a bit_ of effort but I managed to find it after getting lost in the winding corridors. So now I stand in front of the headmaster as he sat imposingly in his desk atop a set of stairs. I wasn’t one to be nervous around people but I find that having a huge pendulum swinging behind someone can give off a very… terrifying aura… to that somebody.

“Elliot Midford. I take it that you are prepared to enter our glorious Weston College?” He asked, arranging his top hat slightly so that I could take a good look at his gentlemanly face.

He looked just as old as my father, or maybe even more. Even his smile looked kind like it was from an elderly person. If it wasn’t for the pendulum, his first impression would’ve been something along the lines of ‘grandfatherly’. Even so, he barely had any grey hairs on him so he must’ve been still pretty young.

I made to do a curtsey but stopped and immediately exchanged it to a polite bow. “Yes, I am well-prepared, dear headmaster. I am taught well by my parents.” _Remember Elliot, you are a gentleman now so you must act like one._ “Though I do apologize for having entered so suddenly and so late into the year. My enrollment has come as a surprise to me as well.”

He nodded his head. “Forgiven, young lad. I am just glad that even as late as you are, you chose our Weston out of every other school out there.”

_Weston is not just my dream school but is also under the queen’s orders so I doubt I would’ve chosen any other as well._

I smiled, keeping my mouth shut and politely keeping my back straight.

“Well, we have a few things to talk about so let us discuss them shall we?” the headmaster said as he opened a drawer on his desk. He retrieved something small in it alongside a thin book. He showed the first one to be which appears to be a key of sorts. “This is the key to your own dorm.”

I blinked, looking up at him in a confused manner. “I apologize, but have I heard you right? My own _dorm?”_

He gave an enigmatic smile as he set the key down at his desk. Just the sight of it made me feel uneasy for some reason. “I have no idea as to what the queen plans but I am happy to play along. Queen Victoria is a precious friend of mine you see and I always find that her ideas are… not of the norm but a great idea nonetheless. As long as whatever this is that she wanted to be done doesn’t interfere with our school’s strict and traditional policies, then do as you will.”

Ah, well, there’s the cause of the unease that I had felt. For some reason, I was under the impression that the headmaster hadn’t known about my secret but I guess a little digging and he immediately found out. There are only so many Elliots out there that exist within the Midford family. I should’ve known that he would’ve figured it out this easily.

“If you had known… they why haven’t you put a stop to it? Weston is a school that refuses the government’s interference. Why let them do what they want now?” I asked him, my smile fading into unamused. The fun has just been taken from this mission of mine. What was the point of it if the big guy himself knows about the secret I was supposed to keep?

He tilted his head slightly, intertwining his fingers as he took his time to think about what I had asked. When he answered, I detected the faint tone of seriousness in his voice. “The official, sure. I have never let them on my campus nor have I let them have their way with the students. But ever since Weston had been built, Queen Victoria was the only monarch that had barely touched the school. It only happened one time and that was years ago. You being here under her orders meant that there is official business that needed to be taken cared of… I am not one to intervene in her business. That is all.”

I didn’t answer him. Instead, I stayed silent, so he continued giving me instructions as if the topic about the queen hadn’t been brought up.

“The dorm provided to you is of an old building but unused, nonetheless. You are to stay there before and after your classes. There, you are to eat the food the cook had prepared for you. The footsman would be the one to bring out your food. The maid will handle all the necessary cleaning to keep the house in its proper place. Aside from all of that, you are to do as you wish, so long as you keep our school’s rules in mind. And speaking of which,” he showed me that book from earlier and set the key a top of it, handing it in my direction. He explained what it was as I climbed the stairs to retrieve it from him. “This entails all the school rules that Weston currently has. Any question you might have is also detailed here so I advise you to familiarize yourself with it.”

I accepted it from his hands and took my time examining the ornate key and the book. “Thank you, headmaster. I hope that another opportunity to talk in the future comes.” I then bowed my head and he tipped his hat at me. See, if I were standing at the same level as him, even with a giant pendulum, he doesn’t look nearly as terrifying as before.

“And me to you. Farewell, _boy.”_

I smiled sweetly before I turned my back to him to leave.

* * *

**Rule no. 15:** _At all times, you should share your hearts with your friends, and help them out with love. Every student has to be equal under the headmaster._

With my head buried deep into the handbook I was given, I gave a nod of approvement. It makes sense that something so friendly would be included in the school rules. I guess it had to be included as not everyone in Weston is from wealthy families.

I did a bit of research before I got here and there were student bodies that were called ‘Collegers’ or _King’s Scholars._ They’re what people call the ‘poor’ students who got into Weston due to their Academic Excellence. In exchange for their outstanding performance at school, whether it be through their studies or sports, Weston funds their education. Of course, since they’re often from the working class, there was bound to be discrimination amongst the students. ‘Oppidans’ or the students that got in due to their families and money often look down to these people so Rule 15 is heavily enforced in the student body.

They can either get 2 Y’s (one Y means they are to translate a poem into Latin a hundred times) or be placed ‘On the Bill’ where a Lower Master (professor) or a Headmaster sees them to punish them accordingly.

Collegers though can only enter three of the four houses in Weston. If they are excellent at sports, they get placed in the Green Lion dorm where Edward is; if they’re academically excellent, they’re put into the Sapphire Owl; but if they’re excellent at the arts, they’re put in the Violet Wolf. Scarlet Fox dormitory is the only off-limits one as to get in, they look into your family’s prestige. Collegers are unheard of there.

_Hmm… Now that I was thinking of them, I better remember to go look for these King’s Scholars. I may get an interesting talk out of them._ I noted to myself, flicking through to the next page.

**Rule no. 24:** _Students are to be addressed by their Family name. It is forbidden to call another student using their first name. Masters are to be addressed accordingly, as well._

That was also a rule that was out of common sense. I guess it made recognizing one of the Elite Families easier.

Though now that there were two Midfords in Weston, I can see the confusion from that young man from before. That Redmond fellow had talked to Edward in a manner that seemed as if they knew each other. Me answering alongside my brother certainly made him raise a brow. I wonder if that had meant that it looked like I was closely related to my brother rather than looking as if I was part of a branch family?

Well, it seems like I’m going to enjoy answering to the name ‘Midford’ from now on.

Flipping to the next page, there was another rule that stands out.

**Rule no. 48:** _The only ones allowed to cross the lawn are the prefects or those granted permission by them._

I wasn’t one to cross lawns unless it’s a public park where it was allowed or I was at my own or a friend’s home so I wasn’t too bothered by it. It does explain why the other boys I have seen so far seem to avoid it like the plague. But that was not why it had been interesting, it was that it had mentioned the ‘prefects’ of Weston.

Referencing the Glossary part of the handbook, they are the students who enforce these set of rules to the students as the eyes of the Masters. They are also tasked with being the House Captain of their respective dorms, right next to the House Master (another name for professors also tasked with the dorms).

**Rule no. 49:** _Prefects are to be obeyed by the lower boys and the senior boys._

—also shows that they have some sort of power over the students as well. They patrol the halls as well during the nights to make sure that the boys are in their proper rooms after the curfew and are not wandering at nights creating mischief.

If I were to look for Derrick Arden, that meant that I would have to do it during the mornings, or during ‘fag’ time and afternoon break. I guess I shouldn’t be discreet if that were the case. I would definitely be checking out the Scarlet Fox dorm first as from the additional information I got from the Double Charles, he’s a part of the red dorm due to him being the son of a Duke. At least that narrows down the number of places I would have to—

“Ow!”

All of a sudden, I found myself on the ground after having been on the path of someone else. I sat there on the cement, groaning as the person I had bumped into started berating me.

_“Watch where you’re going.”_

“Sorry, sorry,” I apologized as I gathered the handbook that I dropped while the other knelt to get the key to my dorm. He held it up to me and I managed to get a good look at him. He had greyish-blue squared bangs parted on the right. He wore framed glasses which he pushed up so that I could see his blue eyes behind them. I watched him inspect the key and the golden snake tag it was attached to.

He turned back to me to raise his brow inquisitively, forgetting his irate in exchange for confusion. “Do we… know each other?” It was then my turn to look confused as I let myself get helped up. I was pretty sure I haven’t met him before and I pride myself on being good with faces.

“Oh, no. I am pretty sure we haven’t. Thank you,” I said as he handed me back the key. After tucking it inside the pockets of my trousers, I extended a hand to him in a form of a handshake. “Elliot Midford, good sir.”

He shook my hand, a bit of the confusion staying with him as he frowned slightly. “I’m Lawrence Bluewer. You’re the new transfer student.”

My face instantly brightened. _Someone who expected me!_ “That, I am. And you’re…” Pausing, I looked him over and noted the blue Gentian on his collar, the Sapphire Owl crest on his coat’s breast pocket, and the houndstooth-checked trousers; something I’ve only ever seen on him. “…from the Sapphire Owl.”

_A prefect? All too soon, is it not?_ I thought to myself, a little troubled.

At least I got to meet one out of the four today. Not to mention that there’s still quite a bit of time left before the sun sets so there is still a chance for me to meet the others. If I get to remember their faces then I would know who to avoid whenever I’m on the lookout for Derrick or possibly when I’m sneaking out for food. God only knows how much I was to loathe writing a poem a hundred times if I hated even coming up with the things.

The young man in front of me made to open his mouth but the loud tolling of the Weston Chapel’s bell stopped what it was that he was about to say. We both looked toward the bell tower as the boys around us hurried to their respective lessons (or ‘schools’, as they like to call it here).

“You should go, Bluewer. I’m not due for school until tomorrow.” I raised a finger at him to simulate tipping the top hat I was supposed to be wearing before turning on my heel.

I have one final destination before I officially retire for the day and that was my dorm. If I could find it and settle in before the sun sets, then that would much be preferable. I would like to start looking for the Duke’s son as soon as I could so that I wouldn’t have to spend my time looking at later dates.

Stopping for a second in my tracks, I turned to look over my shoulder at Bluewer walking from afar and saw him get approached by two other young men. One was that burly young man from this morning before I was taken out of that garden by Edward; then the other was that Redmond fellow from when us siblings were talking. Even from my distance, I could still see their different patterned trousers, lighter to look at than the black worn by the others surrounding them.

_Prefects._

Smiling to myself, I went on a direction with a light skip to my steps.

_Make that three out of four, then._

* * *

After walking for minutes, the number of boys I’ve encountered had thinned down to a few others. They seem to be the only ones taking their time walking to their schools, having been older than the ones I previously encountered in the schoolyard and any of the nearby vicinities. ‘Senior boys’ is what they’re called, I believe. Having been at Weston for as long as they did, I’m sure that they were used to being like this that it doesn’t even bother them anymore.

_I wonder how many of them would make it to the absence?_

Unbothered by their curious stares as to why I was walking opposite of them, I continued until I found myself standing in front of a dorm. The garden is beautifully cared for although they were a bit… abstract. One point had mostly a collection of different trees; one corner had mostly purple dahlias; another seemed to be from a different culture altogether (eastern perhaps?); and another had a collection of rocks stacked on top of each other.

Seeing something so curious, you couldn’t blame me for wanting to have a closer look. And being empty as it were, I was under the impression that it might have been the dorm the Headmaster was talking about. As… abstract as it may have been.

So as I was walking through, I felt… _uneasy_ for some reason. Like cold wind has just blown on my nape, making me involuntarily shiver at the cold touch. Just that made me rethink what I had been doing, making me falter a little in steps until I stopped in front of the doors that loomed over me, a wolf door knocker at the center of its oaken form.

Now, you would think that someone with my circumstances would not be bothered by the thought of _ghosts_ but I would hate to think that I would be living all alone in a _haunted house._ I would much prefer sleeping in those benches at the park despite it being the _Michaelmas Half of the academic year._ So, steeling my nerves, I turned around to walk back down the stairs to file a strongly worded formal complaint to the Headmaster about my haunted lodging when all of a sudden… the door behind me _creaked open._

Oh, it was _such_ a horrid sound to hear. The shiver I got from earlier was nothing to my fear-induced shaking but despite all that, I still turned to look back. And what greeted me… was a dark shadow. It had dark circles underneath its violet eyes which were shining sinisterly. Foggy breath rose in the air as the _thing_ came closer, letting what few the sunlight can reach from inside illuminate ghostly pale skin, far too pale to be considered even _human-like._

_“…what.. are you doing… here… **boy?”**_

To say that I was terrified was a complete understatement.

_“AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”_

* * *

After that glass-shattering scream, Gregory was left there in the doorway, covering his ears as he watched said ‘boy’ sprint out of Violet Wolf Dorm as fast as his legs could carry him. He didn’t think that he had ever heard of such a girly scream come out from a senior boy. But then again, he was rarely out and about anyway. That was also the first time he had garnered such a reaction from somebody after he had asked them what they were doing trespassing like that.

_Was he in the wrong there?_

As if he just remembered that he just got out of bed, he involuntarily yawned. His fag, Cheslock, happened to see him at that point and he trudged up towards him while putting his hood around his shoulders.

“Violet, you’re still here? Hasn’t the bell tolled?” He questioned as Gregory turned his half-lidded eyes at him.

“Oh. That’s right. That’s what woke me up earlier.”

_“Woke yo—”_ the young man dragged the palm of his hand over his face in exasperation, cutting himself off before he bursts in anger. “Violet, you’re a _prefect,_ for God’s sake!”

At that point, said prefect had tuned his fag out. His mind had wandered back to that blonde with the ponytail from earlier. It’s been a week since the last time someone else from another dorm had trespassed in Violet Wolf. But all of the previous violators had been lower boys; having been new at Weston, they haven’t had their bearings when it came to which places they could enter and which they cannot. Ultimately, they learn the hard way and get scared off but… this was the first time that a senior boy had done it.

Blinking blearily at Cheslock’s burning rage, he realized what the reason might be for that. Three days ago, they were told by the Vice Headmaster that they would be expecting a new student. There were some… circumstances regarding the boy but they should keep on the lookout and arrange their schedules for the welcome ceremony.

_Had that been the new student then?_

His fag, finally finished with his tirade, saw Gregory nodding his head at him as if showing that he was listening even though he had been done. He could just feel a vein on his forehead on the cusp of popping.

_“YOU WEREN’T EVEN LISTENING!”_

* * *

It had felt like I died all over again and it wasn’t a pleasant experience in any way. Maybe it had been my perseverance in running quite fast that essentially brought me back to life. Still, I cannot believe that a dorm would be assigned to me that had an occupant already living in it; a _dead_ occupant, might I add. That made my situation as a student living alone in a dorm so much worst.

_Perhaps I can ask any of the masters I encounter if either one of them knew how to cleanse a house from its spiritual guest?_

Sighing at the ridiculous thought, I happened upon inside of another garden. I stopped in my tracks and observed the dying foliage around it, the ground littered with dead leaves and long grass, and boarded-up windows of the house in front of me. It was in utter shambles that I cannot believe what I was seeing. It was an old building, much older than all I had seen, and it was in terrible shape.

Though, funnily enough, even though this house looked much worse than the one I was previously at, the latter was still the one that seemed and felt _haunted._ While this pile of mess just felt… sad, in a way. Lonely, if I might say.

Then, a ridiculous thought slowly crept in mind, making a bad feeling emerge in my chest. I looked behind me at the gates and took a few steps back. Once I was outside of the gates, I stared at the large emblem at the side and retrieved the key in my pocket. I held up the tag and looked between that and the emblem.

Both had the inscriptions of a golden snake coiled around a fruit resembling an apple and the set of words at the bottom that says ‘Gold Snake.’

…

I crossed the overgrown lawn and inserted the key in the door. Turning it, I heard the dreaded _CLICK!_ that I hoped I wouldn’t hear.

_I may have just found the real Yellow House._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to post a new story that was in the same universe as this but I haven't finished writing yet so I posted this one. Next time, I'll post that story then after that, one other story to add to the series.


	3. First Day of Schools

I’ve done a lot in my lifetime and all the others before this one. But not once had I been forced to clean up an entire house all by myself. At the start, I think I had shed a few tears as I looked all over inside said house. It was more than a mess, _it was a wreck of a place._ The only good thing that I found was that all the furniture is covered with white clothes so that meant there were less to clean but even so, the _dirt_ in the place was horrendous.

Forget dust bunnies. They’ve turned into dust cockroaches from the looks of things. You see one and there are thirty others in hiding. It was enough to cry about, that was for sure.

I debated looking for Edward so that I would have some help with cleaning but I did not want to have to comb through the classrooms asking around for him. So with my luck, I started with making the place presentable at least.

Have you any idea how hard it is to pull nailed down boards off of the windows? Without any tools to aid me, I was surprised that I even managed to take down three of them. Granted, I only cleared a window but that was progress. I had been in the middle of taking care of a second window when three people happened to show up.

They were the house staff that the Headmaster had arranged to live with me and they were just as shocked as I was at the state of the yellow house. Nonetheless, they helped me with cleaning as the dorm was also their home for the time being.

The cook, Missus Aleya Bacchus, started with the kitchen so that she could get to work with cooking our lunch, snacks, and dinner for the day. The footsman, Sir Carlisle Donner, handled the dining room. Then the dame/maid, Missus Diane Wallace, handled the bathroom so that we have something to use after all the cleaning we had to do. As for me, I took care of the room that I was about to use.

One of the perks of having been the first student in a new dorm house is that I get to pick my room. Not that there was so much to pick from. Most of the rooms from the second to the fourth floor all had multiple beds on them each of them (which gave the impression that I won’t be alone for long) and the only other rooms that had lone beds were the small ones on the first floor and the one on the fourth floor. I picked the one on the fourth floor and gave the others to the house staff so that they had easier access to and from their workplaces.

I would be more alone on the top floor but I didn’t want to hinder anyone from their work so top floor it was. All of the things I had brought with me to Weston I found outside of the house by the gate so I had to take them up the flight of stairs as well.

Then, all the suffering had officially begun.

* * *

By the time we had finished with the rooms we had assigned ourselves, it was already nighttime. Curfew wasn’t supposed to be in place until later but having been tired, my body wouldn’t be able to handle stepping outside anymore. Which was a shame. I had wanted to see who that fourth prefect was but… nothing I could do about it anymore.

After I was done with my room, I took to the halls next and Diane helped me. Aleya meanwhile handled her and the maid’s room while Carlisle handled what he could of the sitting room before he took care of his room. We were spent but our resident cook still managed to cook what she can before we all passed out.

There were still dozens of other rooms to clean but we decided to hold those off for the next few days or so, just to let ourselves some time to breathe at least.

Then, I found myself laying in my bed. I wrote a letter to Regina beforehand to let her know where to send her letters. With that, I was hoping she would tell ‘Helena Oakley’ that I would be staying in one place for a while so that I could see some letters from Celestia. I had wanted to have to talk with that young aunt of mine but there were only so little chances that could be done with her being in Germany in all.

I also wanted to talk to her about that girl Sieglinde. If I ever find a chance, I would like to head to that Wolfsschlucht village and see her for myself. _But for now…_

I found myself yawning so I covered myself with a blanket and retired for the day. Tomorrow would be the start of my first day of schools.

* * *

“It seems we get to meet the new student now,” Edgar commented as he walked alongside three of his close friends and fellow prefects. The light of the dawn breaking from the horizon was leading their path inside the clock tower towards the top where the Headmaster’s office was.

Lawrence, walking a few steps in front of them, pushed up his glasses as he glanced at the red house prefect. “I have seen him. Odd fellow, he was.”

“Edward had been over the edge because of this new student. I tried questioning him about them but he always finds a way to redirect the conversation.” Once Herman had once again remembered how the young Midford managed to get him to clean his messy room for once, he couldn’t help but grumble to himself. “He’s too good at it, too.”

That made Edgar chuckle. “At least the mystery would soon solve itself. Though I do wonder…” His mind went back to yesterday when he had seen said Edward talking to a senior boy that morning. It seems as if they were close and he wondered whether they were closely related or merely knew each other. They do share the same family name. “He was that fellow with the long ponytail, am I right?”

Their bespectacled prefect looked slightly surprised. “Oh, you’ve seen him already.”

“Is that right?”

“If that’s so, then I’ve seen him as well,” Gregory muttered from behind them.

At that, all four of them came to halt and looked at each other. It seems all of them have seen the new student one way or another. This Elliot Midford had been out and about yesterday, it seems. Though what were the odds that they would meet him all in the same day?

“That’s… interesting,” Edgar said thoughtfully, though more to himself than to others. “There was also that key that you mentioned Lawrence.”

Starting on climbing the stairs again, the blue house prefect explained what he had told them yesterday. “There was a tag connected to the key that he had dropped, and I was able to take a look. It was like our emblems but his’ had a snake coiled around a fruit and aptly named the Gold Snake. I hope the Headmaster explains once this welcome ceremony is done.”

The other three nodded their heads in agreement. Then soon enough, they had reached their destination at the top. They opened the set of double doors that leads to the Headmaster’s office.

Stepping inside, they stopped in their tracks as the bells tolled, signaling the rise of all students from their sleep. In front of them, standing at the top of the stairs and in front of the Headmaster’s desk, was the figure of the new student. Perhaps it had been the timing of the bell and the shine of the rising sun illuminating his figure but they found themselves staring in what seems to be in awe.

They were only snapped out of their daze when the Headmaster turned his attention at them, and in turn, making the student turn back at them.

Curious green eyes greeted them before he let a smile show on his face.

_Thump!_

As the three prefects approached, saying their greetings, Gregory was left behind as he clutched at his hood where he could feel his heart beating oddly fast.

* * *

My first order of business the next morning was to attend the welcome ceremony held by the Headmaster and the four prefects. I was up before the sun had come up and it had been rising once I got to where it was to take place. I would’ve eaten breakfast before I left but Aleya was still asleep. In Weston, everything had a schedule they should follow so I wasn’t due to eat until after a few hours. I would have to attend a school first.

It was a horrible thing to endure really.

Though, it was surprising that I had arrived early. Knowing my sense of direction, I intentionally left early so that I would have time to be lenient for getting lost but… I got to the Headmaster’s office _quite fine._ I even managed to talk to him and complain about the state of the Yellow House but the older gentleman only smiled and nodded at my words, letting me go on a rant for quite some time.

He’s good at his job, that I can tell.

Then, before I knew it, the bell signaling the student’s rise had started tolling, cutting me off from smacking the Headmaster’s desk any further. Subsequently, it seems as it signaled the arrival of the prefects too and so for the first time, I get to see all of them.

So, turning around to look at them, I smiled in greeting and the Headmaster rose from his seat.

“Well then, let us welcome you to Weston properly, Elliot Midford.”

Setting aside my irritation for the moment, I tipped my imaginary top hat at him. “As you wish.”

* * *

The welcome ceremony, as the handbook so lovely explained, was about alerting the new student as to his responsibilities in Weston. On the day when his first official day of schools had begun, the headmaster would meet the new boy and have him swear by God to abide by the public school’s rules and traditions. Usually, he would do this amongst a crowd of new boys with his four chosen prefects but in my case, I was his sole audience.

Herman, as what was introduced earlier, was first to speak. “The Headmaster decides all matters within the school.”

Edgar, from my other side, smiled as he held a rose in his hands as he followed after the green house prefect, “These decisions are _absolute.”_

“Us prefects are chosen by the Headmaster to help enforce the rules.” Lawrence was then next to speak, holding me with down with his blue eyes behind his glasses.

Then, the final prefect, Gregory Violet, said the following, “It is an unpleasant job that required us to subdue all trouble.”

“Ever since Kind Henry VI’s founding, this has always been the case.” The man behind sitting behind his table then spoke.

“Tradition is absolute!” The combined voices of all four prefects rang in the large room as the large pendulum once again swung ominously behind the Headmaster’s silhouette.

In contrast, the Headmaster’s voice was calm. “Do you, Elliot Midford, swear to abide by our rules and obey our tradition and discipline?”

_Tradition and discipline. Rules that must be obeyed._ Briefly, I wondered whether how many of them have I broken just by enrolling. Just the thought of it amuses me already and only Grandpa Clock was the one who knew my secret. If there ever comes a time in which I have to reveal my secret, I can already tell that I would be having so much fun. _I can’t wait already._

Meanwhile, I stared ahead as I let my promise to obey leave my lips, not letting a single speck of my amusement show. “I vow to obey by Weston’s rules and that tradition is always absolute. So help me God.”

It felt like I had been sentenced for a crime I had yet to commit. And by vowing, it seems that I was sealing my fate of my own accord. Knowing Weston’s history, I may as well be right. Still, this was merely part of the fun.

The Headmaster then nodded his head from his perch, letting a small smile slip on his features. He took the large book he had at his side and a quill. He stepped down from the stairs and opened the book towards me to reveal rows and rows of names of different penmanship. He handed the quill to me and instructed, “Then sign here, please.”

I did so before I shook the hand he had offered to me. It was official. I was now a student of Weston.

The claps of three of the prefects then filled the room as the Headmaster and I stared eye to eye, my green ones to his knowing red eyes.

“I welcome you to Weston, Midford.”

I merely smiled sweetly in response.

The Headmaster returned my smile with his own one and he retrieved something from his pocket. It was a tie, coloured in yellow and black stripes, which he then handed to me. It seems that I would have to change my tie. Which was a shame. I hadn’t a clue as to how I would do it on my own as my father did the one I had yesterday and the one I had now was just the same knot that he had done except I had loosened it the night prior.

Well, here comes another trouble. I resisted the urge to sigh as I removed my current tie and hanged the new one over my shoulder and bowing to the man. All occupants of the room stared at me as I made no move to tie it myself. I remained oblivious and merely waited for what was to come next.

Lawrence coughed in his hand, effectively making me turn in his direction. He looked as if he wanted to say something.

“Bluewer?” I inquired meanwhile the headmaster chuckled, taking initiative and starting to tie my tie for me. “Oh. Right. Sorry, I’m used to bows and ribbons.” I told them though it didn’t seem that I was sorry at all. That garnered mixed reactions from everyone though I mostly heard exasperated sighs.

* * *

I was last to leave the Headmaster’s office, and so, I get to be the one to say my final goodbye. It seems that I won’t be able to see him anymore. **Rule no. 50** states that ‘ _Prefects are the only ones allowed to meet with the Headmaster’_ so if there ever comes a time that I needed to see him, I might as well do so forcefully. But in a way, I am a prefect of my own… _one student dorm_ but small _details,_ right? If it comes to it, I can just reason with that.

We also had a small talk with the Headmaster just after the welcome ceremony had finished. Apparently, since I had no fellow dorm mates with me, my special circumstances allow me to attend schools with the prefects. It was only until more students enroll and get admitted to Gold Snake dorm but I cannot see that happening anytime soon. It felt like Grandpa Clock merely said that as an excuse as he and I both know that no other students would get in the yellow house.

While he was explaining that, it seemed that he also wanted to challenge me when it came to keeping my secret while surrounded by other boys. I was not a liar, but I can at least keep secrets. When it comes down to it, telling half-truths would suffice in any case when my origin comes into question. I only hope that Edward wouldn’t spill before I do.

“Midford,” a voice called out to me as I walked behind the four. The one with the long silver-blonde hair turned to me and he smiled kindly, something I noticed he always does. “If I may, what is your relation to the Midford family?”

Ah, well, I knew they would ask me this soon. I smiled at him, sweet as can be and my tone jesting, “Oh, I’m the firstborn and eldest daughter.” _I never lie, remember._ But I can always make people believe that I jest.

All four of them exchanged skeptical glances. I can already tell that they hadn’t believed the true words that had left my lips. But that was not any of my concern. All that mattered was that I had answered truthfully and hopefully, this skepticism of theirs would mean that they weren’t to take me seriously.

And… as I watch Edgar chuckle with Herman, it seems that I was right.

Lawrence looked at me with disbelief. “Right… whatever you say, Midford.”

Gregory remained quiet so I was a little nervous whether he would take me seriously. _Hopefully not._

“No matter. Your first school is English with Master Alexander so you mustn’t let yourself be tardy.” Edgar warned as he stopped in his steps along with the other three. “Getting written as one of the absentees is unbecoming of a gentleman. Three equals a Y as well so be careful.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”

Bowing, I then turned to leave just as Lawrence, Herman, and Gregory turned the other way. Edgar was the sole one to stand there, staring at my retreating form before he hesitantly called out to me.

“Um… Midford?”

At that, I stopped walking and turned back. The same was said for the other three as they, in turn, stared at me as well. I tilted my head, wondering what was wrong. “Yes?”

“That’s not where the Alington Schools are. The fastest way to go there is west of the clock tower.”

I blinked at that before I remembered that I haven’t even seen where the Alington Schools are. I just picked a random direction to go to and just hoped for the best. The bad thing about it is that I did it unknowingly too. Slightly embarrassed, I turned to face Edgar fully.

“Oh. Sorry. I haven’t a clue how to get there if I were to be honest.”

He sighed, a small smile of amusement crossing his features before he beckoned me to him. “Come. Join us. We are all exiting west to get to our respective schools. I am your Division classmate as well so it’s best if we go together.”

I briefly got reminded that I was to go with Edgar first as well. I guess I should’ve noted that instead of forgetting as I had just done. Though looking at him now, I can see how women would find him attractive. I guess that was what you would expect from someone who looks like the Viscount of Druitt. Though I was slightly relieved that Edgar was at least a gentleman unlike the latter. God only knows how infuriated Celestia had been when she found out that her nephew was nearly sold off at an auction.

Shaking my head slightly, I tipped my (still imaginary) top hat at him. “…okay, thank you.”

As we walked, I took that chance to start a conversation with the red house prefect. “If I may ask, what’s the difference between the Caxton and Alington Schools?”

Smiling, he readily answered, “Well, you see, the difference is that they’re…”

* * *

Us two separated ways with the other prefects once we got in front of the building housing both Caxton and Allington Schools. It had a different style compared to the other buildings but I was assured that not all buildings looked the same. It depended on the schools they housed inside. For example, the Queen’s Schools building had a more modern design to it as it houses the Science and Computing department. He told me that I should explore more when I have the time as Weston had a lot to see.

Since I had gotten lost multiple times, I was already familiar with that fact.

Though before we could continue our conversation any further, Gregory’s voice stopped us. He was standing a couple of metres away with Lawrence and Herman walking ahead.

“Come to Drawings Schools after breakfast and fag time. I’m your next Division classmate for Master Howard.”

“What? B-But wait!” He followed after Herman and Lawrence’s retreating forms before I could finish what I had been saying. _“I don’t even know where that is!”_

Edgar patted my back sympathetically as we stared at the three’s backs. “It’s alright Midford. Gregory is always like that.”

I got even more uneasy. _Always?_

Sighing, I followed after the red house prefect as he led me up to our school.

* * *

My first impression of the Scarlet Fox students is that they… loved talking about their families. Perhaps way too much.

I had sat in one of the many empty chairs in Edgar’s school, merely listening as the senior boys around me talked about what the latest party their families has recently hosted. Something I wasn’t amused by. It was a boring subject and God only knows how much I disliked talks about them. What I had wanted to hear was about what _they_ had recently done themselves.

Which sights have they seen and which they are yet to see? What good have they contributed to our country? What do they have to say about the cloudy weather, for _Christ’s sake?_ Boring as that might sound but I would rather travel down that road than head down this one.

As negative as these thoughts of mine were, I still try and be amicable whenever they talked to me. If they eagerly wanted to know about me, then I too would be eager to tell them about myself. In turn, I asked them what I could about themselves but they find the cleverest of ways to insert their family into the conversation.

Though I guess the experience hadn’t been entirely bad. They _are_ sons of elite families. It was only natural that they would be pressured to keep a certain dignity to themselves when they could. I do wonder how they can keep all the appearances up.

If there comes a time, I hope that I would have the opportunity to help alleviate those burdens on their shoulders even for just a bit.

* * *

After that school, I parted ways with Edgar at the entrance of the building, saying goodbye with some new friends I made at the time. It was breakfast and I was more than ready to eat whatever meal Aleya had prepared. With all that had happened that morning, eating would be more than welcome. It took a bit of effort to go back though and at the sight of yellow house’s still disheveled appearance once again reminded me how much work there was left to be done before it could even look… presentable.

So after a quick meal of fried eggs, tomatoes, sausages, and buttered toast accompanied by hot coffee, I borrowed an apron and a set of gloves from Diane and went to start working with pulling dead plants from the garden. I intended to work until it was time for me to head to the building where the Drawing Schools are, so I had to work hard to even make a dent in our mess of a garden. An hour and half of work wasn’t nearly enough time to fully clean it but I at least wanted to make some bit of progress and so I had been focused the whole time.

Imagine my surprise when I was called out to by an unfamiliar student.

“Hey, maid! Where’s this Elliot Midford?”

I looked up from where I was kneeling in the long grass, holding a dead… _plant thing_ in my gloved hands, at the stranger who mistook me for a maid. “Hm?”

He had a mohawk, an unbelievable sight in this time, which he had dyed white. He also had what appeared to be a scar running down from his left eye to his jaw. He had eye make up on and several earrings and piercings on both of his ears. If he hadn’t been wearing the familiar cloak of Violet Wolf dormitory, I would’ve mistaken him from someone not of this time.

Setting aside what I was holding, I stood up and removed the apron I had tied to my waist and discarded my gloves to the side. “I’m Elliot.” I introduced myself and he looked confused.

“Oh… you are. Sorry for mistaking you.” He apologized, looking uneasy as he rubbed the back of his neck. I merely smiled at that before I asked him why he was there.

“Is there something you wanted?”

“Violet told me to come get you. Something about bringing you to Master Howard.”

At the familiar name of the prefect, I felt cold sweat in the back of my neck.

Right. I had forgotten that I needed to head there after fag time. I had been so busy that it completely slipped my mind. Though what was the reason for sending someone to fetch me? I believe that I can get to Drawing Schools just fine (along with other lies I constantly tell myself). When I voiced this to the young man in front of me, he burst into a fit of loud laughter.

“Oh really? Violet said that he wouldn’t trust you to go alone. He didn’t want to get blamed for your tardiness so that’s why I’m here.”

Forget being nervous, now I’m just a little annoyed.

“Right,” I replied in a deadpan before I picked up the apron and gloves. I opened the house’s main door and placed the borrowed items atop the shoe box before calling out, “Missus Diane, I’m leaving! The apron and gloves are by the shoebox!”

In the distance, a faint _“Alright, dear!”_ could be heard and I closed the door at that before coming up to the young man.

“I’m ready.”

He snorted at me before turning on his heel. “Weirdo.”

I sighed behind his back, reluctantly following along.

* * *

Violet Wolf students are… _interesting._ If you ignore the blatant sacrifices to a greater evil and the obvious occult following that Gregory Violet has at his beck and call, it was just like any other Divisions out there. When I had entered the room though, I had been inclined to think another way but, they’re just like others. And I could see what Edward had told me back then about their knack in creativity when it comes to arts and music.

_Everyone_ had a talent of their own.

As an example, there was one student named Percy who was amazing at paper folding. He can turn your request into any paper folded creature and he’s really good. He even makes his own paper so that he can ensure that they’re crisp white. I was told that their prefect gets his paper to draw on from him.

Another, Sydney, was skilled with flower arrangements. He knows everything about flowers and he’s the assigned caretaker of their dorm’s garden. Unless he was told not to touch a particular plot of land, he cared for everything I had seen back then when I ended up there lost.

Then I was told that the young man who fetched me named Cheslock can play any instrument that he can get his hands on. Piano, guzheng, cello, violin, clarinet. He can learn how to play them in a matter of hours, sometimes even minutes if the instrument is closely related to one he already knows of. I would have to test that talent of his when I find the opportunity to do so. He was an interesting fellow.

Have I mentioned that he was also Gregory’s fag? I haven’t seen the two of them together yet (as Cheslock left me by the art school’s door before he left) so I was still curious as to how they get along. But I believe that I’ll get the chance to witness this ‘brotherly relationship’ of theirs. There’s still a whole year ahead of me that is left before I graduate so I have time to be patient.

There was also Gregory’s talent. I haven’t the chance to talk to him as he secluded himself in a corner or had fellow classmates surrounding him but from what Percy told me, their prefect is amazing when it comes to drawing. It was like he had a set of eyes in his mind that can clearly see what his imagination conjures up. I was told that there wasn’t anything that he couldn’t and haven’t tried drawing. He also told me to keep an eye out when the time to paint comes. His vivid creations get brought to higher reaches when he applies colour to them.

Hearing his peers speak so highly of him, I can see why he had been chosen by the Headmaster as prefect.

As that thought made me happy, when the bell had tolled signaling the end of class, I purposely went past where he was seated, arranging his things. And as I did so, I dropped my hand on top of his head and ruffled his hair as I went before I left the room.

* * *

My next destination was the building where the Cannon Yard Schools (geography classrooms) can be found. Now, according to my sources (aka the random students I met on the way), it was the building across a yard where a cannon can be found. Hence the name. It was the only cannon in the school and it was hard to miss. Knowing my luck, I would still miss it but for some miracle, I’ve thought of following some senior boys from green house. And what do you know? I actually found it.

I nearly kissed a whole lot of metal before Herman caught sight of me and eagerly dragged me by the collar towards our room.

Now, while I had been there, there was one thing or one _person_ that stood out.

… _me._

See, I just do not fit in with the green house students. Everyone were senior boys, and since they’re the more active of the Weston bunch, _they’re all big._ Now compare my tiny lady arms to their muscly (and frankly, _sweaty_ ) arms and it wasn’t even a matter of ‘find the different boy’ in school. One look at me and Master Reuben immediately said,

_“You don’t play, do you?”_

In which I could only smile and agree with him.

Even if they’re the stereotypical jocks who struggled in Geography, they’re still very friendly. They mostly talk about cricket and how they can improve their physical prowess but they’re a light-hearted bunch. Compare them to the red house who were a refined bunch, they’re not much for decent behaviour and keeping up appearances.

Some of them may look scary because of their bodies but Herman just assured me that they’re friendly still. And he was right with that as immediately, I was wrapped in a hug when I approached that one scary student. Not to mention that I was man-handled by said scary student’s friends as well but I can that their intentions were good.

For the first time that day, people had been able to make me laugh.

* * *

My next destination was, funnily enough, the Elliott Schools with Master Phillips. It was economics studies and my Division classmate there was Lawrence Bluewer. And as friendly as Herman is, he was also thick-headed and hadn’t offered to help me find it. So I was left alone in class as everyone left for their next school. I just sighed to myself and had just begun picking up my things when the green house prefect came back, peeking through the door.

“Someone’s looking for you.” He told me, directing knowing looks behind him.

Confused, I went closer and opened the door wider only to be surprised. _“Bluewer?”_

Sure enough, it was indeed Lawrence. He stood there with his hands behind his back and he looked slightly irate. He had been waiting for some time outside for me as he knew I wouldn’t be able to find where he was by myself. And he was right.

So I was left to follow alongside him as be berated me for not familiarizing myself further with Weston’s various schools.

* * *

Now, if there’s one dorm that is the most normal of all, that would be the Sapphire Owl. They’re just… normal. Albeit for some reason, they all have bad eye sights and had a knack for being academically excellent, they’re just like people from the working class. And even without being told that, I can tell already too.

They don’t have the same _aura,_ if you will, to themselves. They are not proud the way Scarlet Fox is; they are not expressive like Violet Wolf; nor are they loud and cheerful like Green Lion. They’re different and average in comparison. The one thing they can proudly claim as theirs is how they are smart individuals. It was probably the reason why most almost all of the senior boys in my same Division were King’s Scholars. Out of the thirteen students I was with, about ten of them have working-class families.

Though I guess I was more surprised that Lawrence wasn’t one than I was to know that there’s so little of us in the same room.

After pestering the blue prefect, he told me that it was only normal for students from Weston to drop in numbers as the years go by. There would always quite the amount of new boys once the Michaelmas Half had started but that number would dwindle the longer they stay at Weston. The houses that would have students drop out the most would be the purple and blue houses but mostly blue.

More than half of Sapphire Owl students are Collegers after all and sometimes, even Weston’s high standards couldn’t be reached and the ones whose grades would drop would, in turn, be forced to stop attending. That was why everyone in their year works hard so that they wouldn’t have to stop when they're so close to graduating. If you were a King’s Scholar, then finishing your studies at Weston is a big achievement.

But even if Lawrence says it so offhandedly, I know that he, out of everyone, tries his hardest to get where he was. Being an Oppidan Scholar himself, he doesn’t get any financial aid like the Collegers but he gets the same honour as if he was one. Since he was also a prefect, I had little doubt that he always has a lot of work piling up for him. If he has a fag, then I hope that at least alleviates some of the work he has to do.

I stared at Lawrence in adoration, my head propped up by both of my hands. Though it seems I was a little too oblivious to his growing irritation.

“Midford, Master Phillips may not be present but _at least_ tend to your work.”

I frowned at him, reasoning, “But I’m already done.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose before he sighed. “That doesn’t mean you have to sit backwards in your seat and pester me.”

I hummed a sing-song tune, smiling at his irritation. “I like watching you. You’ve worked so hard, haven’t you?”

At my words, he paused in his writing. It looked like for a moment, he was thinking of something as his eyes showed a melancholic light in them. Whatever it was, it made him smile for the briefest of seconds before he looked annoyed once more. (I was starting to think that was his default expression all along.)

“Sit properly.” He told me and I boo’d at him before doing as I was told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! I was actually planning on posting the final story to this 'Hit List: Reincarnated Souls' series but decided against it at the last second. I wanted to alternate between the three for the weekly updates too but I figured that would take a while so I shrunk the time in-between updating to be every five days, alternating from all three stories. 
> 
> So for now, I'll be updating 'The Aligned Stars' then after five days, 'Truly the Most Dangerous' would be next, then five days after that would be the new story 'The Price of Knowing'.
> 
> Does that make sense? Hahaha!
> 
> Let me know about what you think of this chapter! I finally got to somewhat introduce all four houses but I didn't think I would go over my target word count by about a thousand words;;


	4. Painting Day

The lessons aren’t as bad as I thought. I had been under the impression that schools from this time would have the same curriculum as the one I had gone through but it was different. The subjects are taught in a different way and they cover topics that I haven’t had seen yet.

In a way, it was fun too. I can just treat it as if it had been my first time learning in a place like this.

After my school with Lawrence, we parted ways. He had some people to meet and somewhere to go while I had to come back to yellow house to help around. Well, I wasn’t in a hurry so I figured I can look for a spot where I could breathe for a second. I found one that was relatively near to the building I had come from. It was a secluded square area, surrounded by tall walls on either sides, and short walkways led to it from outside where students come and go from their schools. In the middle, it had a small two-tiered fountain where I sat by the edge.

With the hum the late afternoon breezes brought and the faint chatter of students, it was a relaxing place to be. Just listening to the water flow felt like it was washing away all the exhaustion brought on by my first day. But even that couldn’t make me forget the main reason why I had been here in the first place.

I was supposed to find Derrick Arden, right? And keep an eye out for him and make sure that he doesn’t do anything stupid that’ll disgrace his family. I still haven’t started looking for him so I hadn’t a single clue as to where I would find him. I’ve noted before that he might be in red house but so long as I don’t meet the students there, I doubt I would meet him. Then again… Weston is big but it’ll only be a matter of time before I get used to this vast land.

I have high hopes that I’ll meet him one way or another, whether it was through me actively looking or letting fate handle it. There’s only so much students that are currently enrolled, how hard would it be to find him?

For now, I need to focus on what was important; yellow house being presentable.

I stretched my arms over my head, taking a deep breath, before letting them fall to my sides. From above me, I can see the sky slowly turning into an orange shade, the white bird’s flying overhead turning orange as well.

_Time to go._

Just as I was about to get up, I happen to glance at my side and I realized that I had not been alone the whole time I was there.

There was another person with me, wearing a hood like those in Violet Wolf so I assumed he was part of said students. He was hunched over near the back side of the fountain, sitting in the grass, just a little bit from where I was currently sitting. Due to that, I couldn’t see the figure’s face but I had a good view of what he was drawing.

It was of a person with a long ponytail. He was standing in front of a desk of sorts and as his back was towards us, I could only assume that he was also wearing our same uniform.

I had to admit, I was impressed at what I was seeing. I’ve seen what people can do with just pencil and paper and they never cease to amaze me. Though this person that I was watching seem to be more skilled than those people. He was using a thin strip of charcoal as his choice of drawing medium and he’s _really skilled._

For a moment, I was reminded of Gregory though I haven’t even seen him draw. But if everyone’s praises were of any indication, then I wonder if he was as skilled as this person?

I watched the hooded figure draw for a few more moments before his drawing started to take more shape. It was starting to look familiar before the large circle behind the figure he was drawing made me realize that it was a large pendulum like the one from the Headmaster’s office.

_Then, this person he is drawing is…_

“That looks amazing.”

I hadn’t realized I had spoken until the figure visibly jolted from my voice. It seems that he hadn’t known that I was there, just like how I hadn’t noticed he was sitting where he was at. He looked up to me then it was my turn to be surprised.

“Gregory… I mean, sorry. Sorry, _Violet.”_ I smiled sheepishly, scratching my cheek from having accidentally called him by his first name. I could blame the fact that I’ve always called everyone I’ve met by their first name. Weston’s rules was just making that bit a tad more difficult than I would like. Habits die hard, I would guess. “I didn’t mean to surprise you. I apologize.”

He remained silent for a moment before he answered, “It’s alright.” Though I noticed that he moved his cloak so that it’ll cover his drawing.

I raised a brow at that and I was about to say something about it but someone else spoke up, followed by multiple sets of footprints.

“Oh. Midford. How surprising.” It was the other prefects; Lawrence, Edgar, and Herman. They looked just as surprised as I was to see them come here. The one who spoke up, Edgar, went over to where Gregory and I was. “What are you doing here?”

I stood up, tipping my yet again invisible top hat and smiling. “Hello. I just thought of sitting down somewhere to think before I head back.”

Herman propped his cricket bat up his shoulder. “How was your day?”

“Tiring. But fun, I will admit.” I paused for a moment before adding, “And weird. _Definitely_ weird.”

_I had never been so manhandled in this entire life._ I silently said to myself, having not yet forgotten what the Green Lions had done to me prior.

“Though what were you guys doing here?” I inquired, just as Gregory stood up and still hiding his drawing under his one arm. He took it upon his self to answer me.

“It’s where we always meet.”

“For?”

“Swan Gazebo.” Edgar explained further. “If we did not have anything important to tend to, we spend our time there together along with our fags.”

Oh, well I guess they’re entitled to leisure. They _are_ helping keep Weston in order by enforcing the rules and such. I don’t doubt that they probably patrol the halls at night as well to make sure students under them are in their rooms sleeping and not sneaking out.

“I see.”

“And… Midford.” Lawrence slowly called out to me, his eyes staring at my feet. Confused, I followed his gaze and saw green around me. It took a moment for it to sink in before I jumped away and retreated somewhat from where I previously stood. Which I was pretty sure just incriminated me further for my _crime._

“Ah, sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Right, I wasn’t supposed to be standing in _grass_. **Rule no. 48.** I should’ve been paying more attention. _But in my defense—_ “I hadn’t noticed.”

They expressed various degrees of exasperation making me sigh at myself.

“Right. I guess I’ll be taking a Y.” I tipped my (imaginary) top hat at them before turning around and walking away.

“Oh, and a Y for each step you take in grass.” Edgar called out to me making me stop in my tracks… before I started booking it out of there. From behind me, I could hear his laughter along with a few chuckles.

_Ha, as if I’ll be accepting more. One Y is enough, thank you very much._

* * *

That night, I only had a few hours to help around the house cleaning. If I wanted to be done with that punishment, I needed to work on it early so that I’ll be done sooner.

_Have I mentioned that I’m not knowledgeable in how all this ‘punishment’ thing works?_

I hadn’t a single clue as to when I would pass it to any prefect. Would I even pass it to them as proof that I had done it or let my suffering speak for itself? Because if I had to write more Latin, I would be losing my mind. And I was very close into time-travelling back to Ancient Rome to have a chat with King Augustus about recent developments for the Great Roman Empire.

I also had no idea who to give it to, even. Thinking about it, I don’t want proof of my suffering to be stacked on my desk, constantly reminding me of the sleepless night I was currently going through.

Letting my head drop into the desk, I groaned, already feeling piteous of myself.

… _I should’ve just run away earlier instead of admitting I needed a Y._

Smacking my forehead against what I was writing, a couple of times for good measure, I sat straight back and pinched my cheeks. I was determined to finish this torture now, even if I had to sacrifice precious sleep for it.

* * *

The next day, as what was expected, I pulled an all nighter. At first, I had been startled by the bell tolling into getting dressed hurriedly. I had thought that I was late but according to Alena, there were no morning classes when it was a half holiday. So I just need to have my morning tea, then wait for breakfast to be done and I can be on my way to Drawing Schools.

I was so relieved that I slept through morning tea and ate a bit of breakfast before sleeping through it as well.

So when Percy saw me while waiting outside our classroom, it was understandable that he would raise a brow at my disheveled and yawning self.

“You look lovely,” He told me, a hint of sarcasm in his tone that I hadn’t picked up like I would’ve usually.

“I had to stay up all night to finish that Y.” I told him, showing the stacks of paper I had in my arms.

He burst into laughter. “What, you thought of finishing a Y in a single night? You do know that prefects give you leniency and allows you to submit them whenever you finished them… right?”

I stared at his blue eyes, unamused. _So I had worked for nothing when I could’ve just finished it whenever?_

He had to shield his shins from me kicking them using his cloak. “Ow, ow! Hey, _stop it.”_

“I could’ve finished them _whenever?_ I spent the whole night on this thing!” To prove my point, I smacked his shoulder with the rolled up papers I held.

“Ow!” He rubbed his shoulders where I had made contact though he still held an amused smile in his face. “It’s not my fault you haven’t asked.”

“I will kick you again.” I threatened.

_“Don’t bring my shins into this.”_

_“Midford, Percival, **hush.”**_

Gregory’s unnaturally sharp tone cut through the hallway, making the two of us immediately shut our mouths in unison. While I stood there uncomfortable from the piercing prefect’s stare, the young man beside me merely zipped his lip before playfully raising his hands in a surrender. It looked like he was used to this surprising side to Gregory meanwhile I had been the opposite of him.

Thinking about it more, he would not have managed to get the role ‘Prefect’ if people did not follow his words. And seeing him in his usual self? I too doubted whether he would be able to do so but now, he was making me think otherwise.

Staring back at him, green met violet and for a second, it felt like a one-sided challenge has been initiated.

_What else are you capable of, Gregory Violet?_

I tipped my imaginary hat towards him and smiled sweetly, as if it was just any other day and I had just passed him in the hallway. Without a change in his solemn expression, he turned his head away, his hood now blocking my view of his face.

Then, with impeccable timing, Master Howard arrived nearly before the bells tolled.

“Perk yourselves up. Just because it’s a half holiday doesn’t mean future gentlemen such as yourselves should be showing such faces of…” the older man squinted his narrow eyes at me and I looked up at him innocently, as if he wasn’t just about to make me an example. “…nevermind.” Though he seemed to change his mind at the last second so that was disappointing. What’s a second beration to add to the first one I got?

With a key, he opened the door to our school and opened it with grandeur. Violet Wolf students filed after him and the prefect. Percy and I were the latecomers so we were to enter last but even from where we are, I could see through the side window inside the class we were to use. It was Painting Class and the inside looked like a studio. One side was a row of open lockers, filled on each one with items used to paint like brushes and paints. It was a bigger room than the others I’ve been in as well, with enough room to encircle the center with many easels.

It was impressive to see. I used to have painting lessons with Miss Grimshaw. She was a very strict woman but she knows her craft well and I happen to learn a thing or two. I used to paint by my lonesome but now, the thought of sharing a room with others was an exciting thought.

“Have you any idea what we are to paint today?” I whispered to Percy and he lowered his head to whisper back to me, his usual small smile in his face.

“It’s a _surprise.”_ The playful tone in his words made me give him a look, making him chuckle. “Master Howard told us to wait for him to tell us. So, it _is_ a surprise. Even to me, _surprisingly.”_

I smacked his arm lightly in response. He was definitely pushing it with his playfulness. Even I wasn’t that mischievous.

Just then, Gregory walked by the window and towards the back of the room, making the two of us freeze and pretend that we weren’t fooling around again. Though I happen to follow his form with my gaze and suddenly realized something curious. I looked on the other side of the room to confirm what I had just inwardly concluded before addressing Percy.

“Hey, Percy. Why is Violet sitting on his lonesome there?” I asked, still watching the other set up his tools on the far end of the room while all our other division classmates chatted with each other on the other end. There were about three easels on each side of the prefect that was left unoccupied and no one seems to want to sit there.

Looking at the same direction as I do, the young man beside me explained. “It’s been this way for years. We would sit away from our prefect as he worked then the more curious ones crowd around him after he was finished with his work.” I turned my furrowed brows at him and he shrugged his shoulders. “I can’t help it as well. The last time I sat beside him just so he’d have someone to talk to or just to accompany him, I got a lot of heated stares.”

I frowned disapprovingly up at him, making him rub his cheek sheepishly. “You should’ve tried harder,” I told him before pushing past the students in front of us so that I could enter earlier. In doing so, I got annoyed glances pointed at me but I paid them no mind. The same way I ignored them when, holding my own set of randomly grabbed tools, I strode with my head high and a smile on my face to the far end of the class.

Me sitting down jolted Violet into looking at me in surprise as I arranged my workplace properly.

“…what are you doing, Midford?” I heard him ask me and I turned in sit to face him with my back straight, smiling.

“Why, I’m sitting here now, of course. Seeing as I’m new, there’s a lot of seats to choose from but this here,” I patted the stool below me. “—looks and feels comfortable. So, if you don’t mind…”

I turned back to what I was doing but apparently, that wasn’t the end of the conversation there. But before he could say anything, Master Howard interrupted everyone as he loudly asked,

“Is everyone at their seats?”

“Yes!” I immediately answered followed by other’s confirmations, making Gregory look at me unamused, though he didn’t look like he was about to protest my seating arrangement anytime soon. He merely sat beside me with his back hunched and him staring at his empty canvas.

Percy, who had just taken his seat a few places to my left gestured at me discreetly, silently asking what I was doing. I merely copied what he did last time and zipped my lips, my smile way too mischievous to be called innocent. He rolled his eyes at me before tossing a paper flower at me. I caught it, just as the last of everyone’s various confirmation to our professors rang out in the room. The handwriting in the white sheet was oddly familiar and I stared at it for a moment before I realized that it was _mine._

_He had just swiped one of the papers from my stack of punishment._

My smile in return was as evil as my first life.

Fortunately for Percy, I was interrupted from my murderous intents when Master Howard addressed us all again.

“Now, for this week’s assignment, I want everyone of you to paint freely using Impressionism in mind.” Murmurs erupted from the students and the older man shushed them before continuing, “Now, I know that holding class outside is impossible as of now but for now, use your imaginations and try to paint as if you were outside. I’ll be judging your works according to the strokes and the lighting so be careful. And _Midford,”_

I blinked in surprise at being suddenly called out. “Y-Yes?” I got that same narrowed look from our professor before, _yet again,_ he shook his head at me. It was as if he had just thought better of saying what he was to say.

“Never mind.”

I must say, this must’ve been the same confusion Edward went through during his birthday that one time. Nevertheless, I rid my head of thoughts before brainstorming as to what I would like to paint. Though before I could go past my cat Grey, Gregory’s voice snapped me out of focus and I turned to him.

“Why do you insist on sitting here?” His question was simple yet it sounded as if he really wanted the answer to that. And so I turned to him and answered as honestly as I could.

“Because you were lonely.”

That surprised him, his eyes widening for a moment. “…what?”

Again, a new emotion on his face that I hadn’t seen before. But I do admit, as much as I didn’t want to explain anymore and just shrug to make things easier, it felt like I owe him that one; especially since I had annoyed him earlier with Percy and I’s antics. “While I was outside, I saw you sit far away from everyone. In turn, everyone kept their distances. Though according to Percival, everyone just decided on it.” I looked in his violet eyes, searching for a particular emotion in its depths. “..right?”

And I saw it. That loneliness. Ciel had the same look in his eyes though his’ was masked by hatred and the overwhelming need to push forward. With Gregory… well, he had _fear._ There are a lot of ugly emotions that exists out there but those same emotions could be a source of strength for others. Right now, as he silently sat there in front of me, his fear was holding him in chains.

But fear for what? I haven’t a single clue. Though I do have an inkling as to what it might be.

Tilting my head at Gregory, I sat with my hands propped on the stool below me. “When was the last time you painted something that was for _your_ eyes only?”

“What do you mean?”

“What I meant was, the last time you had painted something which you didn’t feel the need to be complimented by others once done. Something you made that was for you only. Something that would make _you_ happy, instead of making _others_ happy.”

At his hesitation to answer, I took that as a ‘no.’ It seems that my suspicions were right. He was feeling pressured into making something for others and not for himself; to make something perfect and _polished_ as if it were made of gold. Once others realized his genius from three years ago, he had never been the same. People expected a lot more than a painting from him, and in turn, he worked hard to meet those god awful expectations.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed his easel on one of its feet so that it was turning away from me. Gregory half-heartedly tried to stop me, his face the very epitome of confusion.

“Midford, _what are you doing?”_

“Moving your easel. I don’t want to see what you do nor am I interested in what it is right after.” I plainly told him and he still made no move indicate that he was going to go along with what I was doing. So I had to do things by myself. He gave me piercing stare as I pushed his stool with my other foot (I thought he would be lighter but I was _wrong_ ) while I arranged his easel with my hands. I also took it upon myself to push the small table beside him that had all his other stuff, just so he wouldn’t have to do it by himself.

Once I was done, his set of easel was the only one out of the circle that was off by a bit. I had it in a way where I wouldn’t be able to see what he was doing and since he had no one sitting by his right, I think he will do fine by himself. Feeling a little accomplished, I turned back to Gregory and told him,

“Now, promise me neither I nor everyone else are allowed to see your work.” I paused slightly. _“Except for our professor._ You can paint whatever you want like Master Howard said and the only thing you need to keep in mind is that you need to enjoy this for once.” I took one of the small-tipped brush from the bottle that was holding a set and handed it to him. “Here.”

He didn’t move.

“I’ll do anything you ask of me.” I promised and his eyes lit up at the slightest, which made me clear up what I meant. “Any _one_ thing.”

The glint vanished and he sighed, before taking the brush from me. “Fine. _Weirdo.”_

“Says Violet Wolf’s _prefect.”_

He didn’t look amused but nonetheless, he didn’t say anything more. He went back to looking at his canvas, deep in thought and I took that as my chance to do the same thing. In doing so, I happened to glance at the table on my other side and saw the looming stack of Y that I had placed there earlier. Just looking at it was making me remember the suffering I had gone through, writing the same lines over and over for a hundred times. At this point, I was pretty sure if someone told me to recite the poem I wrote, I would’ve been able to; word for word even and in both English and Latin.

Believe me, I was _not_ happy at the thought.

Though, now that I was thinking about it, I _do happen_ to have a prefect sitting by me.

I eagerly grabbed the stack and whispered towards Gregory. “Violet.” He looked at me from his canvas; his face looked as if it was saying ‘what now?’ As per usual, I had the sweetest looking smile as I showed him the stack of paper and the lone flower that sat a top of it. “Tadah! I finished the Y last night.”

He looked bewildered as he accepted the papers. He flipped through it as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Just last night?”

I nodded my head a little too happily. “Uh-huh. I didn’t get to sleep but I thought of finishing it first so that it wouldn’t get in the way later.”

“You were supposed to pass it whenever you finished it, not as soon as possible.” He told me, his expression so flat that I was in awe for a bit. Yet the truth of his words still hurt.

“I know. Percival told me. Which by the way,” I gestured to the flower he had set aside and he looked at it. “That’s _his_ doing. He took one of the papers I had written on earlier when we were having a bout and made that.”

A flash of recognition shined in his eyes for a split second before it turned into something akin to bitterness. I watched him as set aside the papers and placed the flower back on top of it haphazardly. Then… he completely turned his back on it. I continued to study his features but even with my obvious staring, it was clear that he was ignoring me at that point.

_There was something going on between Gregory and Percy._

The prefect’s hands started moving and it seems that he was done deciding what he was to paint. The tenderness that I thought had formed from earlier was gone at that point and I couldn’t help but frown.

“Well then, I’ll get on with mine as well.” I told him before I turned in my seat to face my still blank canvas. Whenever I have a heavy heart, one thing always made me happy and even though that wasn’t with me when I came to Weston, I still remember it by heart.

What am I talking about? Why, it’s my silver cat, Grey! He’s always grumpy, that one. He only ever becomes affectionate when he’s hungry but any other time, touching him felt like a major crime I was committing against him. Still, that’s what makes it fun to mess with him. I remember that I used to place random things behind him. It would always be small things I happen to see whenever I’m in the same room and when he sees them, he doesn’t even bat an eye. But oh-hoh, when I switched to food, one in particular always makes him freak out;

_Cucumbers._

When I found out, and after a few more tries to make sure it hadn’t been a fluke of a reaction, we never once ran out of cucumbers in the house. Even when I leave for a while, I always make sure to come back after buying some.

If Grey was a human, he definitely would’ve murdered me in my sleep by now.

“Heh.” Just remembering has immediately made me chipper again. Picking up my brush and mixing the appropriate colors, I start to work on what my painting was going to be about. I don’t intend to take it seriously but my hand was moving by its own by now.

And while doing so, I didn’t notice that I started humming to myself; most especially, the two piercing stares I was receiving on both sides of me.

* * *

I stretched my arms over my head, just as the bell started tolling for the fourth time that afternoon (it meant classes are over).

“I’m done!” I declared proudly.

And indeed I was. The good thing about today was that I was pretty motivated to paint. Amusing thoughts about my Grey cat kept me at it even when I was deprived of sleep so things turned out good. There was a lot of work left to do as painting using small brush is taxing but I can just do them for next time. Now, I can go back and take—

I yawned.

_—a well needed rest._

“Time to sleep.”

“You really didn’t sleep last night?” Gregory inquired from beside me as he arranged his things.

“Nope. I was determined to finished the Y.”

At that, he gave me a weirded out look from behind his canvas. “You’re really a weird one.”

I sweatdropped. “Do we have to go over this again, Violet Wolf prefect?” Sometimes, I just think that he wasn’t aware just how ironic it was for him to call someone else weird. One of these days, I’m gonna show him if he really was clueless.

Before anymore could be said between us, Percy decided that was a good time to call out to me.

“Midford!”

The two of us looked over to him to see him waving me over. Beside him stood Eric Sydney, the one who was skilled with flower arrangements.

“Walk with us back to the dorms!”

“Oh, sure! Hold on for a moment.” I turned back Gregory, as I gathered the things I used to paint. “Well, see you tomorrow, Violet.” I tipped my imaginary hat at him before leaving with the two. On our way out, we managed to bump into Cheslock, the prefect’s fag, as he headed to fetch the other most likely. I gave a small wave to him as the three of us passed him. “Hello and goodbye, Cheslock.”

“Uh…”

* * *

Cheslock raised a brow at the older boy’s form as he walked alongside a familiar blonde, not even bothering to say his goodbyes. He looked inside the room beside him and at his prefect, who stood there by the side, placing his tools where he had gotten them earlier that day.

“Since when did Percival get so buddy buddy with the transfer student?”

His question made Violet twitch, something the other hadn’t missed. He propped a closed fist in his waist, directing a look towards him that he was determined to ignore. He walked past his fag who watched him head the opposite direction from the others.

“Who knows.” He had muttered under his breath.

Cheslock looked on either side of the hallway; one where the other students had gone down to leave and the other where their prefect walked on his lonesome, before he sighed to himself.

“Violet, wait!”

* * *

Later that evening, Master Howard was looking over the work of his students from earlier. People knew that he liked seeing the finished product so he never usually looks at his student’s work while they were in the making still. But there would be times like now when he would go over each one while they were in the early stages so that he could leave notes about it for his students to read the next time they come back.

While going through each one, he can still see that even after five years of knowing his students, they’re still the same as they were when they first entered.

But… there was just _one_ that was out of place.

Usually, he would’ve thought it would be that Midford child but even his work seemed normal. It was just a cat, perplexingly afraid of what seemed to be a cucumber placed behind the poor thing. But it was the work from the canvas beside her that made him raise a brow.

It was devoid of any colour aside from grey, black, and white. Not only that, but the object of focus was… _interesting._

Master Howard glanced at the empty seat on his left that was placed before the canvas. Then, he shook his head.

“What an interesting turn of events.”

With that, he turned to leave and bathed the room once more in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided to update this alongside Truly the Most Dangerous because I'm behind schedule. If I hope to ever finish the prologue for the new story in time (which was supposed to come out yesterday), then I would need to give myself time instead of... not sleeping tonight ehehe;; I also need to update The Chiming of Bells still and draw for that so...;;
> 
> Uhhh I hope you guys enjoy this as well and let me know what you think! For next chapter, trouble arises in Yellow House and Elliot comes to the Prefect Four to ask for help.
> 
> See you in ten days or so!


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